One Fine Day
by dwntwndanbrown
Summary: Hermione left for America ten years ago. Now, she gets a letter from Harry wanting to meet her. A letter concerning a new prophecy, new jobs, and a 10 year reunion. R
1. The Letter

**One Fine Day **

**BACKGROUND: Set seven and a half years after their final year at Hogwarts. With flashbacks to mainly just the end of the school year and times after it. In my special mind, only up to book 5 has happened, so disregard all the horrible stuff that happened in HBP. Harry defeated Voldemort just after the 6th year. But this story's not about Harry. It's about Hermione and her daughter Marli-Jane. Most everything else should be answered in the story eventually. This sentence makes it the same number of wordsas chapter3.  
**

Chapter 1: The Letter**  
**

"Angel, it's time to get up! You have school in an hour! Breakfast is almost ready!" Hermione Granger walked into her seven-year-old daughter's bedroom to wake her up for school. Harmony looked at her daughter, Marli-Jane, and wondered the same thing she had been thinking since the day she'd found out she was pregnant...

_"Honey! Could you come down here? We need to talk about something I found!" A slender woman stood at the bottom of the stairs and looked up hoping her daughter would come down. She stepped back as a head of brown stumbled quite un-gracefully down the last few steps._

_Hermione sat on the bar stool and looked at her mom. _

_"Yeah? Whadya need?"_

_"Well, I was cleaning the house today, and I got to the bathroom. I was looking in the cabinet for some cleaning solution, and well, I found something." Hermione's face paled and she nodded. When her mom realized her theory was true, she reached for her only daughter and hugged her with all her might. "Hermione, we'll get through this. I'll help you. Your dad will help you. We'll all help you."_

_"No! Mom, you don't understand. You can't help me. I have to leave. I have to go somewhere far away. America maybe. I can't stay here. I've seen the test. I know it was blue." Hermione let out another sob and continued to talk to her mother. _

_"Mom, I just can't face staying here. You can come and visit me, but I can't stay here in London." Mrs. Granger tried to stop her from talking but Hermione put her hand up. "No, mom. Don't try and stop me. I've contacted the Ministry of Magic in America, they've offered me a job. But I have to go soon. They're expecting me there in no later than a month, or they'll give the job to someone else. Do you remember Amanda Shiver? The girl who used to live next door? Well, she moved to America with her family a long time ago. I believe it was before I even left for Hogwarts. Well, I've contacted her, she's living in New York at the moment. That's actually where the Ministry is. So, she said that I could live with her. But she's a Muggle, so I'd have to keep my job a secret. Mom, I've got everything worked out."_

_Hermione's mother began to sob just as she had been doing previously._

_"Mom, don't-"_

_"No, Hermione. You do what you've got to do. I can always come visit you. You gave me some of that fly powder for Christmas last year."_

_"Mom, it's floo powder. And you can't just use it and come. I'll be staying with a muggle. I'll let you know when it's safe to come and by which method. But for now, just stay here. I have so many unanswered questions about this..."_

_"Do you know the father?"_

_"What?"_

_"Hermione, when you conceived this child, around that time... how many did you do it with?"_

_"Just one."_

_"Okay, well that makes it easier. Now who was it? We need to know who the father is."_

_"Mom, I don't know. We had a masquerade ball that night. It was right after graduation. Professor Dumbledore cast a charm to where we couldn't find out who we were dancing with and it was impossible to figure it out. I don't know who it was..."_

_"Oh. Well, if you have to do this, as you say, I'm not going to stop you. But I want letters. Updates. Phone calls. Let me know everything."_

_"Yes mom."_

Who was the father? From the time she stepped on the plane, to the time she got off, to the seven years she lived with a muggle and managed to keep her job a secret, she always wondered who the father was. That was all she wanted to know. She wanted her daughter to be raised with a father as well as a mother.

Hermione remembered all the dances they'd danced, and the way he looked at her with absolute adoration and pure love. Even if it was just one night, she knew that it was the man she wanted to marry. Of course, he was gone by the time she woke up the next morning. So it could have been any Seventh year boy, or maybe a Sixth year that had been there with a Seventh year. But there were only two that she knew of. And the one she danced with had the most beautiful eyes ever.

His eyes. Marli-Jane had her father's eyes. She just didn't know who they belonged to. They were so mesmerizing and captivating. She remembered staring at his eyes the entire night.

_"Okay, Hermione... Push!" Hermione decided to have the baby the muggle way so she wouldn't cause very much suspicion from her roommate, Amanda. The two had been living together since she'd arrived eight months previous, and they'd instantly become best friends again. _

_After a few more pushes, the baby was out and she had a healthy baby girl. The nurses cleaned her off and handed her back to her mother. Hermione held the baby in her arm and looked at the eyes. She stared at the eyes and started to feel tears well up in her eyes._

_"Hermione? Do you know who the father is?"_

_"Um... No. I'm sorry."_

_"Oh, don't apologize child."_

_Hermione and Marli-Jane sat in the hospital bed for only five minutes before Amanda came rushing through the door._

_"Did I miss it? Oh, I did. Oh my God Hermione! She's beautiful!" The two fawned over the new baby and all Hermione did was notice her eyes..._

"Mom! Guess what! We're going to the Zoo today! Yay!" Marli-Jane came bounding down the stairs of their little town house outside of New York City and made it to the kitchen with out falling.

"Yup, angel. You are. But Mommy can't go. I have to work today. I'll check with my boss and see if I can meet you there later though."

"Okay!" Marli-Jane looked pretty close to identical to her mother. She had the bushy brown head, but it had strands of a lighter color in it. Her teeth, yes. They were starting to look like she was going to be buck-toothed. She loved to read, but she loved taking trips on airplanes too, even though she was only seven. Hermione knew it wasn't the plane she loved, but the flying.

This helped her narrow her search down. Hermione couldn't remember who in her class had those eyes, but she knew almost everything else about everyone. She knew it couldn't be the guys that didn't fly very much, because she too didn't like to fly. She didn't notice much else about her daughter that could link her to the guys in her class, but as she thought about it, it got less and less appealing...

TWO YEARS LATER

Hermione sat in the living room with her now ten year old daughter. The two were watching CSI: Miami, as they do every Monday night. Amanda walked in and joined them halfway through and kept asking questions, so the shooed her out. When it was over, Hermione told her daughter it was time to go to sleep.

"But MOM! I'm not tired."

"I know, sweetie, but you have school in the morning. You need to go to sleep."

"But MOM! I'm almost eleven! I should be allowed to stay up later!"

"Marli, you won't be eleven for another year. You just turned ten!"

Hermione won this battle and the two of them walked to Marli-Jane's room. Marli changed into her pajamas and slipped into her bed. Just as her mom came to tuck her in, the two heard a _tap tap_ coming from the window. Marli looked at the window and let out a little scream. Hermione turned her head and gasped.

Hermione looked at the snowy white bird and opened the window.

"Mom! What are you doing? Birds are gross!" Hermione didn't listen, just let the owl in and closed the window behind it. There was a letter attached to the leg. Hermione took the letter off and rushed to the kitchen to find something for the bird to eat. As she walked back up the stairs, it hit her.

Hermione looked more closely at the bird and said to it, "Hedwig? Is that you?" She recieved a hoot back in reply, confirming her suspicions.

Hermione took the letter from Hedwig and noticed a Hogwarts seal on it.

"Mom, why is there an owl in my room... and with a letter?" Hermione opened the letter and read it.

_Dear Hermione,_

_Wow, I never could have imagined writing that again. I thought we'd lost you for good. Your mother never told us where you'd gone or even why. Well, I guess I have some news. Well, quite a bit. The first news is that I'm the Headmaster of Hogwarts. Dumbledore finally retired and asked me to. Professor McGonagall refused the position, for she was retiring as well. This will be both of their last years. Only three more months with Professor Dumbledore as the official Headmaster. I'm doing most of the work now as a sort of apprentice.  
_

_So, my first order of business is that I would like to ask you to return to Hogwarts to be the new Transfiguration teacher. You would be a great asset to the staff. You were in fact, 'the brightest witch of our age.' And you know it too! Please let me know of your choice by the First of August.  
_

_Now the second order of business is much more personal. If you haven't thought about it, this June will be exactly ten years since we graduated from Hogwarts. A few people, Dumbledore, Draco (yes, Malfoy. We're friends now. He's quite pleasant to be around. And single!), my wife, Mandy (Brocklehurst, do you remember her?) and I decided to put together a little reunion party. We want to invite you to come to the party. Bring a date if you ever married. If you have children, bring them. It's the whole point. Catch up with everyone and see how everyone's changed. We would love it if you came. Please send this reply by the First of May. The Reunion will be the Third of June, the day after the students leave. So there will be no students in the castle. We will take care of accomodations, we just need to know for how many. This reunion will be a week of fun! So I encourage you to come. _

_Now, much more personal than that, I would like to meet you somewhere. Of course, I just sent Hedwig to find you. If you are living anywhere near the Leaky Cauldron, or have access to a Floo network connected to the Leaky Cauldron, please meet me there next Tuesday, March the 4th at 4. I have something urgent I need to talk to you about. Quite important to you. If you can't meet me then, please let me know before hand, so I can arrange to meet you another time. I hope life has been well for you!_

_Your dear friend,_

_Harry James Potter, Order of Merlin, First Class,  
Headmaster-in-training of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry_

Hermione stood still staring at the suspcicious letter.** (A/N: Yeah! Alliteration!)**

She walked to the chair across from Marli-Jane's bed and sat down with a look of shock on her face.

"Mommy? What's the matter? Who was the letter from? And why were they so stupid as to send it by an owl?" Hermione stood and took her daughter's hand.

"Mar, it's time that you learn the truth. I don't exactly work with the American government. I'm kinda, well, on a different level. You know how I've never taken you to work with me? Well, this letter is a reason." Hermione stopped and looked at her watch. _Today is the third! Oh my! I have to meet him tomorrow!_ Hermione shot up and grabbed her daughter's other hand.

"Marli-Jane. I need you to understand something, okay?" After she recieved a nod from her daughter she continued. "Marli, I am not the most normal person in this world. You know I grew up in England, right? Well, you need to understand, that there are some things that I haven't told you about my past. And it's for what I saw as a good reason. I just recieved a letter from an old school friend. Now, would you like to go to London and see your grandparents tomorrow?"

"Yeah! I only see them every other year! But, how are we going to get to London by tomorrow? Isn't it like on another continent?"

"Yes, Marli. But that's one of the things you're going to learn about me. Now, if I tell you this, you have to promise you will never ever tell anyone else about this here in America, okay? Even Amanda. She doesn't know. Now. Sit down. Oh, you're still in bed. Okay. I'll sit down. Marli, I'm a witch. No, not a bad witch, and not one of those mean people that you call witches. I am a real witch. I went to a school when I was eleven through seventeen and I learned how to control my magic. You will also be a witch. You have extraordinary powers. You just can't control them yet. That's what I went to school for. I learned all sorts of things. Have you ever done anything you couldn't explain?"

"Yeah... today actually. In class, I was sitting behind Sarah Smith and she turned around and stuck her tongue out at me. I got mad. So when she got up to leave the class, her backpack fell open and all her books fell out." Marli-Jane looked off in the distance when she was remembering the afore mentioned scene.

"Well, you see. That didn't happen for no reason. It happened because you got angry. Now, sweetie, I must return to London for a school reunion. And I want you to come with me. I'll be letting Amanda know that I'm going to visit my parents. You can't tell anyone about this. No one in your school can no. Not even Amanda. I don't know what will happen at the reunion. And maybe..." Hermione looked confused as a thought struck her.

"And maybe what Mommy?" Marli-Jane looked at her lost-in-thought mother.

"Well maybe... Maybe I'll find out who your father is."


	2. Inside Gringotts

One Fine Day

Chapter 2: Inside Gringotts 

Previously:

_"I don't know what will happen at the reunion. And maybe..." Hermione looked confused as a thought struck her._

_"And maybe what Mommy?" Marli-Jane looked at her lost-in-thought mother._

_"Well maybe... Maybe I'll find out who your father is."_

"My... my Dad? Don't you know who he is?"

"No sweetie. I don't. The night we uh. Yeah. Well, he was masked and because of a spell our headmaster put on the whole school, we weren't able to find out who was who. So, I don't know who he is. Only that he has your eyes. But I don't know who they belong to. Now, go to sleep. I won't be here when you wake up. I'm going to London tomorrow morning. No, I'm not flying, but I'll get there. I'll tell you about it later. Now, make sure you don't tell _anyone_! Is that clear?"

"Yes Mommy. Goodnight. I love you."

"Sweet dreams my angel. I love you, too." Hermione kissed the top of her daughter's head and turned out the lights. She turned around the corner and heard the front door open. She left down the stairs and found that it was only Amanda.

"Amanda! Hey. Just the person I was looking for. Look. I have to go to London tomorrow. Urgent business with my family. I need you to take care of Marli-Jane for a while. I'll try to be back as soon as possible."

"Uh... okay?" Amanda looked bewildered then shook her thoughts out of her head as she went to take a shower and go to sleep.

* * *

Hermione walked down the familiar streets of Muggle London unsure of what she was going to meet. She walked around aimlessly, as she had been for the past four hours. She'd been shopping, seen a movie by herself, and her favorite, gone into a muggle bookstore. She picked out a few books and bought them. She'd been to eat lunch with her mother, who was very excited to see her. But that was hours ago. Now she had to get to the Leaky Cauldron. 

After ten minutes, she came across the same run-down looking building and stepped inside. She looked in and felt a tingle go up her spine she hadn't felt since she was last in Wizarding London. Hermione looked around then saw Harry sitting at the back of the room with a blonde woman and a little girl who looked about four or five. Harry waved to her and she walked over there.

"Harry... Hi."

"Uh, hi Hermione.'' The two stood there awkwardly then Hermione pulled Harry into a great big hug.

"Oh Harry! I missed you SO much! You have just no idea!" The two hugged for what seemed like they were making up for the years missed. Finally, they pulled apart. Hermione turned to the blonde sitting down smiling at the girl who had black hair and blonde highlights.  
"You must be Mandy! Wow. I haven't seen you since graduation. I would say how've you been, but that'd be pretty stupid. Ha! Wow, Harry, the girl has your eyes. What's her name?"

"It's. It's Lily. We named her Lily. Actually, her full name is, now don't laugh, but her full name is Lily Hermione Potter. Mandy insisted that we name her after my mother and the friend that helped destroy Voldemort."

"I wouldn't laugh at that, Harry. In fact, I feel honored. I remember when Marli-Jane was this little." Hermione and Harry sat down and Harry had a puzzled expression on his face.

"Oh, sorry Hermione. Who? Who's Marli-Jane?"

"Oh! Did I say... uh... Marli-Jane? Well, I meant... uh... oh there's no use. Marli-Jane is my daughter, and the reason I left London. I'm sorry I never told you... but. Would you like to see pictures? She's coming for the Reunion. I had to leave her with a friend today because she has school, and only just last night found out about the whole wizarding world."

"Uh, yeah. Pictures would be fine. Now, how old is she?"

"Ten."

"Ten? But that would mean..." Harry did some quick calculations in his head but Hermione answered before he finished.

"Yes, Harry. I got pregnant the night of the Masquerade Ball after graduation. No, I don't know who the father is, because if you remember, Dumbledore kindly placed the charm on the masks to last for 12 hours; from six to six. And when I woke up at four in the morning, he was gone. I have no idea who it was. He never took the mask off. That's one of the reasons I want to come to the Reunion. I have to know who it is. He may not have to know, but I have to know. I want my daughter to know who her father is."

"Wow. Well, that explains a lot."

"Excuse me? I don't understand."

"Oh yeah. Mandy, I think that this is our cue to leave you. I will see you at home in a while. Love you." Harry kissed Mandy then moved down to the little girl still sitting in the chair. "And I love you, too Tiger!" Harry motioned for Hermione to follow him and she did, and the two went down to the back and out into Diagon Alley.

"Uh, Harry? Why did you call her 'Tiger'?"

"Well, haven't you seen the muggle play, Peter Pan? Well, a character in there is Tiger Lily. So I just shorten it. Plus, all the stripes in her hair with black and blonde make it seem as if she's a white tiger. I have a feeling that if she ever becomes an illegal animagus like her father and grandfather (I did accomplish it! I'm a stag as well!), well I have a feeling that she will become a tiger. I have faith in her." Harry and Hermione laughed lightly and continued down the strip.

"Harry, where are we going?" Hermione asked inquisitively.

"Well, first we're going to Gringotts. I have something of high importance to show you in my vault. And now I understand a little better..."

"Okay, then where are we going?"

"Well, I thought after that that we could go to Flourish and Blotts. I hear they have a new section all together on the Second War. It has books published from the time I was struck and rebounded the Killing Curse to when I shot the curse back at him so many years ago."

"Fascinating. I'm sure you just love that!"

"Of course. They even made me come to some book signing thing. It was horrible. It felt like they were trying to get me to become  
Lockhart!" Hermione laughed and remembered their second year when they had a phoney teacher who just took credit for other's work, then modified their memories. Finally, the two made it to the swaying white-marble building, and to Hermione, it looked like it was tilted a little more than it had been the last time she'd come.

"Okay, Harry. What are we doing here?"

"That's for me to know (and a couple of other people) and you to find out!" Hermione gave him a slight hit on the shoulder and they walked inside.

"I need to get inside Harry Potter Vault Number 984."

"Key, please." Harry handed the goblin sitting there a small golden key. "Thank you. Signature, please. Here. And here. Oh, here too." Harry signed in all the correct places and the small goblin asked the two to follow him. Harry and Hermione got in the cart and after a lot of twists and turns, they finally made it to a stop. "Out, please."

Harry and Hermione got out of the cart and walked up to the door. The goblin placed the key in the lock, and pressed some secret numbers, then asked for Harry to place his thumbprint on the pad before him to confirm identities. After lots of other security measures, the door finally opened and Hermione was surprised at what she saw.

From the last time she'd been to Harry's vault, she'd seen many gold coins all over the place. In this vault there was a silver basin at the back, a cabinet to the right and a lockbox to the left. In the cabinet sat a few vials, and some of them had what looked like a vile potion. In the back corner on the left, there was a small amount of gold piled up, but Harry did not go to that.

Instead he went to the lock box to the left. It looked like a regular muggle lock box, but there was way too much magical protection locking it that Hermione had to stand back and squint when he opened it. When it was open, Harry reached in and produced a small package. Hermione looked at it and was confused at what she was looking at.

"No, Hermione. It's not the Sorcerer's Stone. That was my First year. This time, it's something very different. Actually, it has to do with you. Now, follow me." Harry motioned for Hermione and she followed Harry to the back of the vault where the silver basin lay. Hermione looked at it and identified it as a Pensieve.

"What's the Pensieve for, Harry?" Hermione looked around and noticed that the goblin had left and that the door was shut.

"No, Hermione. We're not locked in. But do you remember in our Fifth year when we went to the Ministry of Magic, and we walked in the Hall of Prophecy?" Hermione nodded and he continued. "Well, I was there about a month ago, on Hogwarts business, and I stumbled upon this prophecy in my hand. I read the name and I reported it to Dumbledore. He retrieved the Prophecy for me, and has scratched the records from the data base at the Ministry so they know nothing of it. Now, I'm telling you about it, 'why?' you ask? Well, because your name was on it. Along with two question marks.

"The prophecy was made about three years ago to still an unknown source, and from an unknown source as well. Well, we might as well get to it." Harry pulled from the burlap sack a small glowing orb. He placed it in a basket and lowered it inside the Pensieve. Hermione leaned forward and the two felt a tugging sensation before they were placed on a desk in what looked to be like the middle of a classroom.

"This is how all prophecies look in a Pensieve. It writes out what is being said on the board over there. Here it comes..."

Hemione looked to see a black board and noticed that a piece of chalk magically started writing, just as a voice started talking.

_  
"The three who were friends,  
defeated the man of red eyes.  
They did not know it at the time,  
but two of them were blind._

_  
The girl who was friends with them  
not from the very start  
left the others  
because of an ache in her heart._

_  
A daughter now takes over  
the bravery she lost  
A father to be found  
Another evil's life has criss-crossed._

_  
When a family is formed,  
it knows no evil present.  
At least for a while,  
until a weapon is invent._

_  
Combine in unity,  
though, much time will pass  
The powers of a true loving family  
Put aside differences from the past._

_  
When father meets daughter,  
A new evil will form.  
But you can't stop destiny  
If you try, you will lose the new war._

_  
The evil knows what  
the mother fears most.  
For in truth, the evil  
Is a Past and Present Ghost."_

Hermione and Harry sat down and Hermione took in what was being said. After a little, she realized that she should write down what was said, so she could review it.

"No, Hermione. Don't write it down. I've got a copy at the school. When are you leaving back to where you came from?"

"Uh, I think in a few days. I didn't want Amanda to think that my plane ride was just an hour or two all the way to America. Yes Harry. I've been in America. New York to be exact. I'm working at the American Ministry."

"I see. So, would you like to come to the Burrow tonight for dinner? Then tomorrow we can go to Hogwarts and get a copy. You can stay at your parents house, or you can go to my place and stay with Mandy, but I have to get back to Hogwarts. Dumbledore just wanted me to do this for him."

"Well, I think I would very much like to see the Weasley's. How are they?"

"Well, they're getting on, much better than they use to though. Ron has gotten paler since he's been working in the Department of Mysteries, and now, we see him less and less. He still has not married, dated, or had children. Ginny married two years out of Hogwarts to this guy in her year, he was in Hufflepuff. They have a five-year-old son named Mark. Um, Fred and George are still running the shop, but now with their own set of twins, all four twins born on the same day. Fred and Angelina's before George and Alicia's though. Both sets of identical twins. Fred had boys while George had girls. The four of them are now soon to turn 11. They will be starting Hogwarts next year, no doubt Gryffindors who will try and be on the house team. What a year for me to become Headmaster..."

"And I, Transfiguration teacher."

"Woah. Does that mean you'll take the job?"

"Yeah. I mean, if all works out with finding Marli's father, then that would give them a year they could spend together. It would be tough on me, but I think it would be good for her. Especially if he's really in to magic. Then she would be able to study before she came to Hogwarts. She loves to read. But she also loves to fly, in planes as she's just found out about the wizarding world. But I'm sure that her father like to fly as well. Maybe not on a house team, but he liked it. I mean, I hate flying. Where else could she have gotten it from?" Harry chuckled.

"Wait, so if it doesn't work out with the father, what will you do about the job?"

"Well, I could either have her stay with a witch friend of mine in America, so she could continue her schooling there, or she could stay with my parents here. My vote is that the father is a nice man who wants to take care of his daughter."

"Ha. Well, I told Mrs. Weasley we would meet them at the Burrow at six. We still have an hour to kill. What do you want to do?"

"Well, first off, you said we could go to Flourish and Blotts. Secondly, you never finished about the rest of the Weasleys. You stopped at Fred and George. How's the shop by the way?"

"Actually, they've gone international with it. There's at least one shop in every country in Europe and about three shops in America. One in Dallas, one in LA and I think the other was in Chicago."

"Nice. So, they're doing fine. How are Bill, Charlie, and... uh... Percy?"

"Yeah, Percy. He married some girl after a first date and now they have like three kids. He never visits the Weasley's and they are disowning him as a birthday present this August. Yeah, he's not a very loved family member. He wrote some stuff about them and it got published in the Daily Prophet. They weren't too happy with him. So, Bill and Charlie. Bill dated a girl he worked with in Egypt. She was from Germany. They're married and have two kids. Two girls with flowing red hair. They look just like Ginny. It's quite scary. The girls are I think six or seven years apart. They're fairly different. Then Charlie dated none other than Tonks! They got married four years ago and just had their first child, a boy named Timothy Arthur after his two deceased grandfathers. Yes. Mr. Weasley died about two years ago." Hermione felt tears well up in her eyes, then pushed them away. Harry consoled her then they made it to Flourish and Blotts.

Hermione looked around the store for half an hour before picking out one book. Then they went to Madame Malkin's Robes for All Occasions so she could get some new robes. Then Harry needed some owl treats, and she decided to get some too, if he was going to be sending owls to her house. She told him that she didn't like trying to find some crackers in the cabinet for Hedwig.

After leaving Eyelops, the two decided that it was time to start heading over to the Burrow. They apparated there, then walked up to the door. It was six o'clock on the dot. Harry opened the door.

"Molly! I'm here! And I've brought a friend. Has Mandy made it yet?"

"Oh! Harry! No, she hasn't come yet. Now, who's your friend?" Molly looked to the door expectingly.

"Mystery guest, please enter through door number 1!" Harry put on a fake gameshow host accent as he said this and Hermione opened the door, to be covered in slime from head to toe.

Mrs. Weasley watched the scene unfold and knew exactly who it was.

"Grace Frances Weasley! Faith Gwendolyn Weasley! Gage Flann Weasley! Felix Garrison Weasley! I demand that you get your four backsides down here right now! I will not stand for this!" Molly yelled this time, Hermione noticed that it was for four, instead of what she remembered as two. Then she remembered what Harry told her about the twins each having a set of twins.

Four children came down, about the age of Marli-Jane and all looked at Hermione. No one spoke for a while. Finally, Molly got fed up with the silence.

"Children! Who will explain this?" One of the boys raised his hand. "Yes, Gage?"

"I'm sorry Miss."

"That's good Gage. Do you have anything else to say?"

"Yes Nana. I'm sorry to my cousins. I miscalculated. It was supposed to land on Harry."

* * *

Hah! I thought that was a good ending. Not much of a cliff hanger, but I liked it. I was originally going on, but it was all stuff that would be cut if I were writing a true book. So, I decided I would cut it out now. REVIEW! 


	3. Meet, Greet, and Say Goodbye

One Fine Day

Chapter 3: Meet, greet, and say goodbye

Previously:

_"Children! Who will explain this?" One of the boys raised his hand. "Yes, Gage?"_

_"I'm sorry Miss."_

_"That's good Gage. Do you have anything else to say?"_

_"Yes Nana. I'm sorry to my cousins. I miscalculated. It was supposed to land on Harry."_

Hermione sat at the familiar table and watched a scene she had long missed. No one really noticed her at first then some people started looking at her, clearly not recognizing her.

She sat at the table and listened to their whispers trying to figure out who she was. When she heard some, mainly from Fred and George, she just started chuckling.

"Well, maybe she's some inspector checking up on the kids" They said quite loudly causing the two sets of twins to straighten up and act just a tiny bit better, before setting off Fillibuster's Fireworks in the house.

"No, dear brother of mine, she must be Ron's new girlfriend. Though, I don't see why. She looks half normal." This recieved a subtle chuckle from Hermione and Harry who had been listening too and a roll thrown at both of their heads from Ron. Mrs. Weasley just had a huge smile on her face, for she had been told, and liked the satisfaction of seeing her son's trying to figure out something that was so obvious.

After dinner, Tonks got up and announced that the baby needed changing and that she would be right back.

"Well, why'd she have to tell us?" Either Fred or George said, "We could smell it from over here!" The other one finished. This caused a round of laughter from the whole table.

After dessert, Harry stood up and gave the impression that he had an announcement.

"Everyone, I have quite a big surprise. Next year, at Hogwarts, many changes will be taking place. I thought it would be best that I tell my family before the school. Now, Dumbledore is retiring this year, though he tells me that next year he will be coming quite a lot, that he can't stand to be away for too long."

"Dumbledore's retiring? So, does that mean that McGonagall will be taking his place?"

"Um, no. She's retiring too. Actually, we've found someone quite marvelous to take the place of Transfiguration teacher. In fact, she's sitting right here." Harry pointed to Hermione, but purposely didn't say who she was. "Okay, well, Dumbledore has asked me to be Hogwarts Headmaster next year. I'm asking you to keep quiet about this, for Dumbledore wants to announce his retirement at the graduation ceremony. He won't be announcing that I'm getting the job until the Reunion." Harry paused and Mrs. Weasley shot up from her seat to give Harry a huge hug. Everyone congratulated Harry, but Hermione stayed in her seat, afraid to say anything so it wouldn't give her away.

After everyone settled down, Ron spoke up.

"So, Harry. Who's the girl?" Ron pointed to Hermione.

"Well, I'm glad you asked. Everyone. After a lot of looking, I found the perfect person to fill the Transfiguration spot. Now, I want to introduce you, well, re-introduce you to Hermione Granger." Everyone was so silent you could hear a pin drop.

"H-Hermione?" Ron looked at Hermione and was astonished.

"Uh... yes, Ronald. It is I. I is Hermione. Hah, ha. Hm..." Hermione laughed but then when no one else did, she bottomed out.

"Why did you leave us though?" Ron was still the only to speak.

"I-I... I'd rather not say just yet. Not till I find out a few things."

"Find out what?"

"A few things and that's all I'm saying."

* * *

Hermione apparated to the Leaky Cauldron after a long evening reuniting with the Weasleys and answering a few questions, asking some her own. She went up to Tom the bartender, rented a room for the night, and retired for the night. The next morning she woke up and decided that she should go visit Hogwarts, as Harry suggested. Hermione packed her belongings back in her suitcase and placed them in a corner with a note to be delivered to her parent's house that morning. 

She walked down the stairs and as she was about to step on the ground, she stumbled and fell. The problem? Well, there was someone standing there. Hermione got up and helped the man up that she knocked down.

"Oh! I'm so sorry! I wasn't watching where I was going." Hermione dusted herself off then looked at the man she knocked over.

"Oh, it's okay. I was just heading to meet my cousin to eat. I should go." Hermione nodded and looked at the man more closely.

_He looks so familiar. Where have I seen him before?_ She noticed he was wearing a baseball cap, a button up mutil shaded blue vertical striped shirt, and khaki pants. When she looked at him again, she noticed something she hadn't before. _Oh my God. His eyes. They're exactly the same as Marli-Jane! This is her father!_

Just as she put this together she looked up to notice he was gone. She turned around and saw him going out the back door. Hermione ran and followed him out the door. When she looked into Diagon Alley, he was lost in the sea of people busy walking from place to place. _Who _IS_ her father? I just saw him, but I don't know who it is!_

Hermione turned around and walked to the fireplace to floo to Hogwarts. Maybe Harry would know something. She stepped in and yelled "Headmaster's Office, Hogwarts!" and was immediately encircled in a swirl of green flames. She landed and stepped out to see not Harry, but Dumbledore.

"Professor! Hi. How have you been?"

"I've been good, Hermione. And you? I expect your daughter will be joining us in two years?"

"Yes sir. May I ask, how did you find out about Marli-Jane?" _Of course! If anyone knew something no one else did, it would be Dumbledore! Maybe he knows Marli's father!_

"Well, Harry told me. He came and we talked about what happened yesterday. I'm guessing you came for a copy of the Prophecy?"

"Yes sir. Sir, I was wondering. Is there any way I can find out, like do you have some kind of record, like who Marli-Jane's father is? Do you know?"

"I'm sorry, Hermione. We only have it written down, when you find out. We are completely blind in that subject. Only that she is written down in our list for a student to come to Hogwarts in two years. Now, I expect that you would like to go visit your parents again? Tell them I said hi."

"Yes sir. Thank you for the list." Hermione took the parchment from him, folded it and placed it neatly in her purse before going back in the fireplace and leaving for her parent's house.

* * *

Three months passed and it was time to go to the Reunion. 

"Amanda! Oh, I'm going to miss you so much! First it was my best friend that moved! Now I'm moving away from my best friend! How will I survive?"

"I don't know! I do know that we'll have to try and keep in touch! Have a great time. I hope you enjoy teaching at that school of yours." Hermione and Amanda hugged and then Marli-Jane walked in. She hadn't said much since her mother told her that she would be moving to London.

"Mom! I want to stay here with Amanda and all my friends!"

"Oh, sweetie. I'm sorry about this. But we've talked about this. It's best if we go. Plus you'll get to see Grama and Gramps more often than you do now!"

"Yeah, I know. But I really like it here." Hermione started crying and held her daughter in her arms who was also crying.

They were leaving their stuff in America until after the Reunion, then if the father was nice, Hermione would return to retrieve their stuff. All the stuff was boxed, excluding the bed, a few outfits and all the furniture. Hermione was leaving this with Amanda so when they came to visit (which they promised they would!) they would have a permanant place to stay. Amanda liked this. But most of Hermione and Marli's outfits were packed away and they were stored in boxes. Amanda was under the impression that they would be getting picked up after a week, if Hermione called, while Amanda was at work. She didn't know that if everything worked out, while Amanda was at work, Hermione and a few other friends would Floo back to America to pick up the boxes and take them wherever they were to go.

After another teary goodbye, Amanda left for work and Hermione grabbed Marli-Jane's hand and grabbed her own suitcase and Marli, hers.

"Mom, how are we getting there? Are we going to take a plane?"

"No, sweetie. We're going to travel by an old wizarding way called Floo. Now wait just a minute, and then we can leave. But we have to wait for Harry to get here."

"Harry? You mean your friend Harry. The one you said is like really famous and killed some bad guy?"

Hermione chuckled and agreed.

"Mommy, is Harry my father?"

"No angel. He isn't. He's married and has a daughter half your age. I never told you this, but when I went to London in March, just after your birthday, I actually ran into your father. I didn't know it until it was too late. I still don't know who he is." Hermione looked down then Marli-Jane screamed as the fireplace erupted in green flames and Harry stepped out.

"MOM! What is _happening_?" Marli-Jane dropped the suitcase and hid behind her mother.

"Oh, Mars, don't worry. It's just Harry traveling by Floo. Now, what we're going to do, is step in the fireplace, throw this powder down and I'll do the rest. Harry will take our bags then we'll follow. You'll be going with me. It's kind of like transporting from one place to another. It's perfectly safe and you'll be with me. Just don't let go of my hand." Eyes wide, Marli-Jane stepped out from behind her mother.

"Oh! Hi! You must be Marli-Jane. I've heard so much good things about you!" Harry stepped up to Marli-Jane and shook her hand.

"Yes, sir. I am. And I guess you're Harry Potter, my mom's friend, but not my father." Marli-Jane looked down and Harry and Hermione exchanged glances.

"No, I'm not your father, but I think you might get to meet him this coming week."

"Yeah. That would be nice. Now can we get a move on! I'm hungry and my mommy said that we could eat the most fabulous meals at this school we're going to!" Hermione laughed and handed the bags to Harry, along with a box or two of Hermione's stuff that was staying in London, no matter the father problem.

Harry stepped in the fire, bags next to him, powder in one hand and two boxes in the other. He threw down the powder and yelled, "Headmaster's Office, Hogwarts!" and he disappeared in a swirl of emerald flames.

Hermione held Marli-Jane's hand tighter and led her into the fireplace. She grabbed the tin Harry left, and got a reasonable amount of powder and yelled the same thing. She felt the familiar feeling of being sucked in a tube then landed in the same office she'd been in three months previous. Hermione looked at Marli-Jane and noticed she was astonished at all the moving portraits on the walls.

"Mom, we're _definately_ not in Kansas anymore!" Hermione laughed and led her daughter out the door and caught up with Harry who had all the bags and boxes levitating behind him.

"Harry! Wait up! Where are we staying?"

"You'll love it. Trust me."

Harry, Hermione and Marli-Jane continued up endless amounts of stairs until Marli-Jane got so tired Hermione had to carry her. Finally, they stopped in front of the Fat Lady.

"Password?" Marli-Jane shot up when she realized the portrait was talking to her mom's friend.

"Caput Draconis" Harry replied and they stepped inside the portrait which opened to reveal a whole to step through.

"Harry? Are we actually staying in our dorms? And was that?"

"Yes, Hermione. It was the same password from our first year. I'll announce it at lunch, but Dumbledore and I thought of the most brilliant plan. We spent seven years at Hogwarts, and we are staying at Hogwarts for the reunion seven days. Today, is year one. It's the original password from our first year, along with the other houses, and you will stay in the First year's dorms. They have been modified to accommadate everyone who has come. Giving a room for each person who was originally in the dorm. You walk in the dorm and there is a long hallway instead of the original dorm. Then there will be doors with your name on it. Since you are not married, the part that it keeps your maiden name, is irrelevant."

Hermione smirked and replied, "Thanks Harry. That's the boost of confidence I needed. But that's a really cool system. So does that mean that since tomorrow would technically be year two, we would have a totally different password? And have to sleep in a different dorm?"

"Well, technically. But it's not going to be a change. They're just moving the hallway to each dorm each night. It will be Dumbledore and McGonagall. No, the house elves won't be doing that." Hermione scoffed at his comment and grabbed her daughter's hand and led her to their dorm. They walked in the hall and saw that the first door on the left had 'Hermione Granger, 2' written on the name plate.

"This is us." They walked in and there were two beds, identical to the beds when she was there. They had the heavy gold and crimson drapery and bed sheets and comforters as she had in school. Hermione noticed the two nightstands, vanities, one door leading to what she assumed was a bathroom, a bookshelf and two deep-colored wooden dressers opposite the beds. Hermione retrieved her wand and flicked it at the two suitcases and the clothes immediately began to sort themselves in the dressers, leaving Marli-Jane astonished.

"Okay... Mom? I just have one question. If you could do this, why did you make me clean my room these past ten years?" Hermione laughed at her daughter's comment.

"Sweetie, I didn't want you getting into magic too early. I loved having the background of someone who could do my own chores, then learn to do them another way. I hoped you would like it too."

"Well, yeah. I like doing it myself. It's really satisfactory."

"I'm so proud!" Hermione wiped a fake tear from her eye. "You're just like me! You want to learn!" Hermione and Marli-Jane laughed as they inspected the job Hermione's magic had done. Everything was just the way they liked it.

"Perfect!"


	4. Meals and Empty Faces

One Fine Day

Chapter 4: Meals and Empty Faces

Hermione got out of the shower and told Marli-Jane to go in there. They would be going down to dinner where they would meet the others in an hour.

Hermione sat down at the vanity and did a quick drying spell to her hair. Then opting to style it manually, she gathered the tools she had and set to straigtening her hair. When she was done, she used her wand to add a little curl at the bottom and give it more volume than it originally had straight. Hermione pulled her hairback and twisted it up into a gigantic clip. She added some hairspray that had a slight content of glitter and set it back down.

Hermione did her makeup and walked over to the dresser to pick out what clothes she would be wearing. She settled on a pair of normal shaded jeans with little buttons and glitter she'd sewn on herself, a brown tanktop, a light pink blazer with one large pink button, and some brown sandals that matched her shirt. She decided she liked that and started to take off her robe when the door swung open. She turned around to see two smiling faces.

"Hermione!" the two said together and ran over to hug her. She figured it must be Parvati and Lavender.

"Hey girls! How have you been?"

"Oh, here and there. We heard you were here so we decided to stop by on our way to dinner. We're going a little early to show our husbands and children around. Are you married? It said two." At that moment, the bathroom door opened and Marli-Jane stepped out in a terry cloth robe her mom brought for her.

"No, girls. I never did get married. But this is my daughter, Marli-Jane." Hermione walked over to Marli-Jane and placed an arm around her. "Mars, this is Lavender and Parvati. They were roommates of mine when I was in school."

"Hi. I'm Marli-Jane. Nice to meetcha." Lavender and Parvati moved closer, shook her hand and then left. "Mom?"

"Yes, angel?"

"They're like, too hyper for their own good. It's like their energy is set on 10 all the time." Hermione laughed.

"Yes, sweetie. It does seem that way. It always has."

Hermione and Marli-Jane finished getting ready then walked out of their room, to see Neville Longbottom, a woman Hermione didn't know, and two boys about ages four and six.

"Neville? Hi! How are you?"

"Hermione! It's great to see you. Harry said you were coming. I'm good. This is my wife, Melanie, she's from France and our boys Frank and Matthew. Frank is six and Matthew is four. Is this your daughter?"

"Yes, this is Marli-Jane and she is ten. She will be going to Hogwarts next year, not this year, but the next."

"Oh, really? That's cool. Well, let's head on down to dinner." Hermione agreed and the six of them headed out of the portrait and down the stairs and into the Great Hall for the meal.

Halfway through the meal, Harry stood up and joined Dumbledore at the head table. Dumbledore got the attention of the former students and began to talk at the podium with Harry standing next to him.

"Everyone! Welcome back to Hogwarts. It's great to see familiar faces, and some new ones at that!" Everyone chuckled and Dumbledore continued. "For those of you who haven't heard, on Graduation, I announced my retirement. I've been planning this since January, and I've been training the new Headmaster. So, I would like to present to you for the first time, the new Headmaster of Hogwarts, Harry Potter. You all remember him, right?" Everyone laughed and clapped and cheered.

"Okay, well, I don't want to keep you waiting, so... enjoy the dessert! The treacle tart is my favorite!" Harry stayed up at the Head table discussing something with Dumbledore before coming back to the table.

"So, Harry. Congratulationson getting Headmaster." Marli-Jane looked up and shook his hand.

"Why thanks Marli-Jane. I'll be looking forward to when you come next year." Harry and Marli talked about different things while Hermione caught up with other school friends. Finally, after talking to many people, she returned to her seat.

"Harry?"

"Yeah, Hermione?"

"Could I talk to you... In private? It concerns um..."

"Oh! Yeah. Mandy, excuse me. I'll be right back." Harry and Hermione walked to the far corner of the Great Hall where no one was and they began their conversation.

"Harry, I've talked to so many people. I never once saw Marli's father's eyes. I wanted to know, did everyone say they were coming?"

"Yeah. Everyone is coming, except for Millicent Bulstrode, but I doubt she's the father."

"Hah. No I don't think she is. So, could you help me? I would like to reunite with him early, so I can gain a fuller understanding as to whether I want Marli to stay with him for a year."

"You never cease do you?"

"Pardon?"

"Talking like that. Using big words. Well, more meaningful sentences. Gosh Hermione, you need to talk simpler."

"I usually do talk simpler, but that was the only way I could think to get my meaning across."

"Oh, ha. So, what do you want me to do to help?"

"Well, I don't know. Are we having any kind of mixer thing?"

"Well, yeah. Tomorrow after breakfeast."

"Okay. Thanks. Harry, do you have any idea who it might be?"

"No, Hermione. I'm sorry. I really don't know."

"Okay, thanks anyway."

Harry and Hermione returned to their seats and as they were talking, Hermione looked around the hall trying to see if she could make eye contact with anyone.

_I wonder if he's just not here yet. Yeah, maybe he is getting here tonight. What if he's like one of those people that doesn't want kids and just acts as if Marli doesn't exist. I don't know if I could handle that. I mean, I remember that feeling when I looked into his eyes. There was something big there. Something more than lust. It was special. I mean, I want to have the same thing Harry has with Mandy. _Then another thought struck Hermione._ Oh no! What if he's married? What if he's moved on and has kids? Will his wife accept it? I don't know what I would do if he was married and wants nothing to do with me or Marli. I don't even care as much about him wanting anything to do with me as with Marli-Jane. She needs a father. And plus, when I saw what I think was him in the Leaky Cauldron, he didn't look as if he had a wife. He looked kinda run down. Okay, calm down Hermione you need to stop-_

"Hermione!" Hermione snapped out of her trance and tried to find who it was that was talking to her. Hermione saw everyone looking at her. But it was Harry who was wiping his hand in front of her face.

"Okay, Harry. I'm back. Do you need something?"

"No, you just looked like you were getting really distressed thinking about something. What were you-?" Hermione glared at Harry. "Oh. okay." Harry looked down at his plate and became suddenly interested in his ice cream.

"Well, what were you talking about?" Hermione looked up and saw Ron sitting there, who'd been quiet the whole night, looking at them with a questioning look on his face.

"It's nothing Ron." Hermione answered. "You'll find out in time."

"Well, why can't I know now? Harry knows."

"Ron! Harry knows because of a present situation I'm in and I needed help. I went to him, because he was the first to find me. He figured out some stuff, and now, he's helping me." Hermione stood up and excused herself and Marli-Jane to go to bed.


	5. Hagrid's Hut

One Fine Day

Chapter 5: Hagrid's Hut

Previously:

_"No, you just looked like you were getting really distressed thinking about something. What were you-?" Hermione glared at Harry. "Oh. okay." Harry looked down at his plate and became suddenly interested in his ice cream._

_"Well, what were you talking about?" Ron had a questioning look on his face.  
_

_"It's nothing Ron." Hermione answered. "You'll find out in time."_

_"Well, why can't I know now? Harry knows."_

_"Ron! Harry knows because of a present situation I'm in and I needed help. I went to him, because he was the first to find me. He figured out some stuff, and now, he's helping me." Hermione stood up and excused herself and Marli-Jane to go to bed."_

The next day, Hermione woke up and got dressed. She and Marli-Jane walked down the stairs and made it into the Great Hall for breakfast.

"Good morning Hermione! Good morning Marli!" Hermione looked and saw that it was Harry talking.

"Harry! Hi! What are we doing today? Can you take me on your broom today? You promised me yesterday!" Marli-Jane walked over to Harry and gave him a hug.

"Yeah, Marli." Hermione looked over at Harry. "Only if it's okay with your mom?"

Hermione smiled and nodded.

"Yeah, okay. Harry you can take Marli on your broom. But be careful! I don't want her turning into you, finding a second home in the hospital wing.

"Hah. Okay, Hermione." The school ate breakfast then were allowed to go out on the grounds to catch up with people they hadn't talked to the day before, or to just enjoy the sunshine on the warm summer day.

Hermione stepped outside and froze. It felt like deja vu. She and her friends walking on the grounds on a great sunny day, of course most of the time it was just them, and they were enjoying having no classes. Hermione kept walking and found herself straying towards Hagrid's hut.

_Instinct. We always went this way._ Hermione laughed at herself and then noticed that Hagrid's hut wasn't even there anymore.

"What happened to him?" Hermione said to herself.

"He died in the mountains taking care of his sick brother." Hermione jumped not realizing there was someone else behind her. She turned around and saw a quite slim but built, tall man wearing knee-length cargo-pocket khakis, a red and white striped polo shirt, light birkenstocks, a red baseball cap and perfect sized sunglasses.

"Oh... that's too bad." Hermione looked at him and then realized what was happening. "I'm sorry. I've been rude. Hi, my name's Hermione Granger. And you are?"

The man looked at her, squinted, then smiled.

"Oh, I do believe we've met before. More than once, I believe. The most recent being at the Leaky Cauldron a few months back? Hi, I'm Draco. Draco Malfoy."

_WAIT! Hold it! Draco _Malfoy_ is her father? No wonder I never saw him yesterday. I wouldn't have gone near the Slytherin table. This is too strange. How can this guy, this very cute guy, be Draco Malfoy? He's dressed like a muggle! Now, I'm not sure if this is him anyway. I haven't seen his eyes. I could just be mistaken._

Hermione thought too soon. He smiled and removed his sunglasses to reveal the same eyes she'd been searching for for ten years.

_Well, not exactly searching but... close enough. Oh, Hermione! Stop analyzing the situation! Just go with it!_

"Uh... mm... yeah... uh..." Hermione was lost at words. Finally she settled on something simple. "Hi."

"So, Hermione. How ya been? I heard from Harry you're living in America? Yeah, I went to St. Louis for a little after school. Just a few years. Lived as a muggle, wouldn't you believe?" Hermione just stared at him disbelievingly.

"Y-you? A-a. A muggle? That's hard to believe."

"Yeah, I know. So. Uh, Hermione. How have you been?"

"You already asked me that."

"Oh, but I'd really like an answer."

"I've been uh... good. I just had to get away after school. I couldn't stand seeing anyone. I needed to get away. So... St. Louis, huh? Why'd you go there? And live as a muggle?"

"Well, you remember that masquerade thingy? Right after graduation?"

"How could I forget?"

_I'm reminded of it every morning when I see my daughter. Well, apparently... _your_ daughter._

"Well, I danced with someone that night. I think I fell in love with her. Don't tell anyone that I'm telling you this. They'd call me a sissy. But, I just feel I can tell you this."

_Hmm... I wonder why?_

"Well, the next morning, when we took the train back, I didn't know who she was. When I couldn't find out who it was, I left the country. I just left."

_Yup, I know how that goes. But my situation was a little different. _

"Had hundreds of people looking for me, but I got a job,"

_Wow, Malfoy got a job? Wait, I should probably call him Draco. Put the past aside. Be friends._

"bought a small apartment, and lived there for about eight years. Finally, I got an owl from Harry asking me to come back. He needed help with some project. So, I came back, and I've been living in a new house I bought, just down the way from the Weasleys. They've been nice to me. Ron hasn't, but the rest have."

_Hah. Ron will never be nice to him. Well, if my suspicions are true, then Ron's just gonna have to deal with it._

"So, Draco? What've you been doing since you got back to London?"

"Well, I got a job working in an apothecary helping produce the potions. I was a chemistry teacher when I was in the States. I went to school and everything. I got a degree, and became a chemistry teacher. Of course I had to do a little magic to get them to believe that I'd been to a great high school and made good grades."

"But you did."

"Did what?"

"Made good grades. You were almost top in the class. Besides me of course."

"Of course. You were always the little know-it-all that beat me."

"And that's how I liked it. But things have changed. Events change people. As it's shown in you. You're actually quite pleasant to be around."

"Thanks. I've been waiting for someone to tell me that. Most people are just surprised that I actually am working instead of scrounging off my father's money. So, Hermione. I've seen a little girl here. She looks almost identical to you. Does that mean you're married? She looks quite old. How old is she?"

"Ten. No I'm not married. She turned ten in March. She's identical to me, except for her eyes. She..." Hermione looked in the distance and saw Harry and Marli-Jane flying around the quidditch pitch. "She has her father's eyes." Hermione turned her head around and looked back at Draco.

An awkward silence fell upon them as they looked at each other and forgot the rest of the world. Hermione was thinking about how to break it to Draco, when Draco was doing a little math in his head. Finally, Draco spoke.

"Ten, huh? And March? Well, that's quite wierd. That would mean that she was born like nine months after we got out of school. Any chance the father's a student when we were here? Or was it right after you left for New York? Is the father in New York? Who is the father?"

"Are you into asking lots of questions or something?"

"No, not usually, just when I get nervous."

"Okay... well. Your questions. You were right. I got pregnant the night of graduation. After the masquerade ball."

Hermione noticed Draco's now tan complexion pale slightly.

"He's not from America. He's lived in America most of his life I'd say. Actually, he-"

"MOM! I had SO much fun flying!" Hermione was cut off mid-sentence by Marli-Jane running towards her, Harry following behind at a slower pace.

"Well, I'm glad. So, what all did you do when you were up there?"

"He took me and at first we went slow, cause I was scared, then I got better. We did flips and turns and all sorts of things! Then he got me a slow broom and I got to fly by myself. But he wouldn't let me go very high. He said that I'd make a good Seeker, whatever that is!"

Hermione laughed and faced Harry who was now standing next to her.

"So, you let my daughter fly, huh?"

"Yeah. I see you've met Draco again. Now, he's changed hasn't he?"

"Yeah. Actually, Harry. This is the guy I ran into at the Leaky Cauldron just before going to Hogwarts a couple of months back. Isn't that funny? I ran into him, then found out who he actually is months later? Isn't that nice?" Hermione had a plastered smile on her face trying not to let it show that there was something else.

"Mommy?"

"Yeah, sweetie?"

"Have you found my daddy yet?" Hermione froze.

"Uh...um. Well, you see-"

"Marli?" Hermione looked and saw it was Harry. "Would you like to go flying again?"

"Yeah! Can we go now?"

"Well, just hold on. I need to talk to your mom about something."

"Okay. I'll go over and start getting ready." Harry nodded, waved good-bye to Draco and walked Hermione over to a rock so she could sit down. As soon as she sat, she started crying.

"H-H-Harry. I didn't think it would be this hard to tell him!"

"Hermione. It's okay. How long have you known it was him?"

"Since like the beginning of the conversation. We'd been talking the whole time you were up flying. He told me about going to St. Louis, how he got a job and... and..." Hermione started crying again.

"And what, Hermione?"

"He- He told me that he thinks he fell in love with the girl he danced with at the ball. He said that. To _me_! He told me that he fell in love with me! But he didn't realize it."

"Now, Hermione. Are you positive that it's him? Are you sure that he's the father?"

"Yes. I've had to look at those eyes for the past ten years. I knew it was him at the Leaky Cauldron, and when he told me that we ran into each other at the Leaky Cauldron, it confirmed everything. I know that he's her father. But I never suspected him. I never thought that I would have a child with Draco Malfoy. The one who tormented us in school."

"Hermione. Do you realize what this means?"

"No, what?"

"Well, remember the Prophecy? It said that when the family reunites or something, a new evil will come to be. Now, we can find out more on the prophecy."

"But Harry. It hasn't come to be. We haven't reunited yet! He doesn't know and if that's the consequence, I don't think I want us to reunite."

"Hermione, you're just saying that. You know you want him to know he has a daughter, and you want him to know it was you at the masquerade ball. You know you want this, but you just don't want to cause the creation of another Voldemort." Hermione stared at Harry. She couldn't believe what he was saying. All of it. All of it was true. And she didn't like being told something she was keeping to herself.

Hermione stood up, then sat back down. She looked up, down and around. Finally, after a lot of throwing things back and forth in her head, she settled, sat down, and looked at Harry.

"Okay."

"Okay, what?"

"Okay, I'll do it. I'll introduce Marli-Jane to Draco and vice versa. But before I do it, just to be positive, is there some way we could-?"

"A paternity test?"

"Exactly."

"Sure. I'll talk to Madame Pomfrey about getting it together."

"Oh, thank you Harry!" Hermione reached over, gave Harry a hug. "But, Harry. If you don't hurry, Marli might kill you for having to wait so long." Harry laughed and ran to the quidditch pitch. Hermione stood up and walked around the grounds. She noticed everything was the way it was when they were in school, except Hagrid's hut not being there.

Hermione walked over to the doors to the Great Hall and semi-consciously started making her way to the Hospital Wing. When she got there she just stood there. The last time she was in there (for they hadn't had to go in their Seventh Year) was near the end of Sixth year...

_Hermione awoke to see white. And that was it._

_"Great. I'm dead."_

_"You're not dead, sweetie. You're just in the Hospital Wing." Hermione looked over and saw Madame Pomfrey tending to someone in the bed next to her. "Dearie, I'm having trouble treating Harry. Is there any way you could remember what happened?"_

_Hermione thought for a minute then finally, the events from the night before came back to her._

_"Well, I remember waking up late on Saturday afternoon, Harry told us that would be the best, to get enough sleep. Then I hopped on Harry's broom with him, Ron on his own, and we flew for hours. Finally we got to Godric's Hollow. We didn't see anything at first. Then so many death eaters surrounded us, sending spells and hexes at us, but we were sending some back. After the majority of the death eaters were knocked out and tied up, the rest ran to the graveyard. Naturally, Harry got upset. He didn't want them anywhere near his parents. Then He came." Hermione looked off in the distance._

_"Who came, dearie?" Hermione just stared at her and she let out a little whimper._

_"Well, we fought him and I vaguely remember him trying to make us drink something. It was a purpleish color, with little lumps of something of a pink color. Ron and I resisted, but I think Harry got a little in his mouth. That may be it. But he spit it right out. This made Harry even madder. He took out all of his passion of the past sixteen years and used the killing curse. It hit Voldemort square in the chest. First he stood there, then he started to drop. First, on his knees, then to his hands. Then the strangest things happened. He arched his back and a hole appeared. It was square in his back, where the spell hit him. There was a bright light shining through. Then, h-he."_

_"He what? What happened?"_

_"He, exploded. It was like he was a bomb, you know the muggle war device?" Mme Pomfrey nodded and Hermione continued. "He just, exploded. Then he was gone. Harry felt a burning on his scar, and we, Ron and I, brought him back here."_

_"Hermione, you say his scar burned?"_

_"Yes."_

_"Well, you're well enough to walk now. I'd like you to come see this." Hermione stood up and walked over to the bed next to her. She looked where she was pointing. To his forehead._

_"It's... gone. He doesn't have the scar anymore. Man, will he feel lonely now." Mme Pomfrey laughed and Hermione just stared at it in amazement. _

_"So. Miss Granger? It's over? It's really over?"  
_

_"It seems that way. Who has found out?"_

_"Well, When you came back, I got Dumbledore, and besides us and you three, that's it. We didn't want to let the world know before we found out any details."_

_"Really. Okay. Well, do you know when they will wake up?"_

_"Well, we have some insight as to what is wrong with them, I will discuss the situation with Professor Dumbledore, and then we'll let you know. Now this potion. You said it was purple with pink lumps. Did it have a thick or thin cosistancy?"_

_"It was pretty thick. Sorta like sludge."_

_"Okay, now. Get back in bed and rest. You've been through a lot. Here's some dreamless sleep potion. Drink up. And We'll see you when you wake up again."_

_"Good night Madame Pomfrey. And thanks."_

Hermione looked at the doors then slowly opened them. She looked inside and felt the rush of white overwhelming. She looked and saw an older Madame Pomfrey sitting at her desk in her office and filling out some paperwork. Hermione walked over to her and when she didn't look up, she gave a subtle cough. Madame Pomfrey heard this and looked up.

"Hello. May I help you?"

"Hi, Madame Pomfrey. Do you remember me?"

"Oh! Is it, Hermione? How are you? It's so good to see you. I've seen so many smiling faces since yesterday. It's brightened my days. Of course, I see Harry all the time, as usual." Hermione laughed then decided that she should get to it.

"Madame Pomfrey. Harry told me, just recently, that he would come and talk to you. But I couldn't wait. I'm in this situation. Harry said you could brew a paternity potion or something like that? Could you? I need to know if this guy is the father of my child. It's sort of important."

"Okay... now, you're going to need something of the child, and of the father in question. You know, just like a hair or something. Something that has DNA. I know it's muggle, but sometimes we have to resort to muggle ways to do things. We're working on a newer potion, but it's not really working. So we've resorted to a potion, but using some muggle techniques."

"Oh, it's perfectly fine. Now, when do you need the items? And when will it be done?"

"Well, as soon as you would like. The result of it will be given just moments after we add the hairs."

"Oh! That's great. Now, will you need to know whose hair is whose?"

"No, we add them at the same time."

"Okay, well, I'll get back to you on that!" Hermione smiled and left the Hospital Wing to find her daughter.


	6. Potions and Missing Persons

One Fine Day

Chapter 6: Potions and Missing Persons

Previously:

_"Well, as soon as you would like. The result of it will be given just moments after we add the hairs."_

_"Oh! That's great. Now, will you need to know whose hair is whose?"_

_"No, we add them at the same time."_

_"Okay, well, I'll get back to you on that!" Hermione smiled and left the Hospital Wing to find her daughter._

Hermione walked the halls and found her way back to the quidditch pitch. She found a seat in the stands and watched as Harry and Marli-Jane flew around on brooms tossing a quaffle back and forth. Hermione smiled as she saw Marli fake a throw at Harry, then throw it as she whipped around him, to have it go by his head. Marli began laughing and smiling, and Hermione wished to herself that she would be that happy with Draco.

"What's eatin you?" Hermione looked around and saw Draco walking through the stands looking at her strangely.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that you left with Harry earlier then I saw you take off for the castle, and now you're here, looking thoughtful and meditative at the same time, while still looking sick to your stomach as if you're gonna hurl."

"What a great picture, Draco! Actually, I was just thinking. About what could've been if I hadn't left." _Well, that's what I could have been thinking anyway._

"Well. Do you need any company?"

"You can stay here. I don't mind." Hermione looked at him and thought. As a thought popped into her head, she smiled. "Actually... I think I could use a hug. Do you do those?"

"I think I can manage one." Draco smiled then walked to where he was standing right in front of her. He leaned down, she looked up, and wrapped her arms around his neck. She snaked her hands to his head, pinched, pulled and-

"Ow! What was that for?"

"What was what for?" Hermione looked at him as he rubbed the back of his head.

"You pulled my hair!"

"Oh! I did? Oh, Draco. I didn't mean to. I'm really sorry! Did it hurt?" Hermione pretended to pet his head as if offering some sort of comfort.

"It didn't hurt too bad, I just wasn't expecting it." Draco continued to rub the back of his head and Hermione held tightly to the hair in her hands. She smiled and sat back down. She looked back at the pitch and noticed that Harry and Marli-Jane weren't up there anymore. She stood up quickly then it dawned on her that they were probably in the changing rooms. She walked out of the stands and found herself being followed. She turned around and saw Draco walking about ten paces behind her.

"Do you need something?"

"Actually, yes. I was going the same place you are, for I need to talk to my best friend, Harry."

"Oooookay." Hermione turned back around and continued onwards to the changing rooms.

As the two of them made their way down towards Harry and Marli-Jane, they walked in complete silence.

"Mom! Did you see me? It was fantastic! You should try it!" Marli-Jane ran out of the changing room and ran to give her mom a huge hug.

"Yeah, sweetie! I saw you! Come on. I've got something I want to do. Come along." Hermione looked at Harry who was talking to Draco and he looked up, saw the look on her face and followed her.

"Hermione? Why do you have that look on your face?"

"Well, Madame Pomfrey is going to to the thing. You know, the paternity thing?" On this last part, she leaned in and whispered it to him. Harry's eyes went wide.

"Seriously? What do you have to do?"

Hermione took her clasped hand out of her pocket and showed him the hair held tightly in her hand.

"That's it?"

"I have to get one from Marli-Jane as well, but yeah."

"Wow, I didn't think it would be this easy..."

"Neither did I. So, will you come with me?"

"Uh... sure." Hermione smiled and the three of them walked to the Hospital Wing. She opened the door and was surrounded by a hustling and bustling Madame Pomfrey.

"I told them not to mess with those plants! She specifically laid signs out for them so no one would mess with them-" Madame Pomfrey kept talking to herself as she tended to the three patients laying side-by-side with enormous welps on their hands and each of them had an enlarged portion of their body, may it be an ear, finger or nose. Hermione let out a little cough to signal her arrival. Once completed with her treatments, Madame Pomfrey scurried over to Hermione and asked her to follow her into an adjoining office. Hermione turned to Marli-Jane.

"Sweetie, I have to go do something. Will you sit here? Please don't go anywhere."

"Okay Momma." Hermione kissed her on the forehead and followed Madame Pomfrey.

When Hermione looked inside, she saw five cauldrons brewing different potions. Hermione turned to look at Harry, whom she had just remembered was with her. He gave her an encouraging smile and she walked further into the room.

"Now, Ms. Granger, you have those hairs?"

"Yes. They're right here." Pulling out the two hairs she held so delicately in her pocket, she handed them over to Madame Pomfrey. Madame Pomfrey walked over to the fourth cauldron from the door and motioned for Hermione and Harry to sit in the chairs on the wall. They followed her non-verbal orders and sat in the green vinyl chairs she pointed to.

Hermione took a deep breath as she watched Madame Pomfrey add the two hairs. After the changing of potion colors from puce, to aqua-marine to a hot pink, Madame Pomfrey looked at a duller-than-hot pink and ladeled out just a spoonful and placed it in a cup on the table at the back of the room. Madame Pomfrey got out a muggle microscope and took a sample of the potion and placed it on a slide. After looking at the slide for about twenty minutes, Madame Pomfrey cleaned up her stuff and walked back over to Hermione and Harry.

"Hermione, dear. Can I talk to you in my office?" Hermione looked at Harry and he nodded in encouragement. She nodded, stood up and followed Madame Pomfrey into a little white office just off of the cauldron room. She turned around a last time to see Harry stepping out, she suspected he was checking on Marli-Jane. _Thank Merlin I have such a great friend as he!_

"Please sit, Ms. Granger. Now, you came to me wanting to know if the man in question is in fact, your daughter's father. Am I right?"

"Yes."

"Well, do you want the good news or the bad news first?" This comment caused Hermione to squirm in her seat.

"Um, I guess I'll take the good news first."

"All right. The good news, well I hope this is good for you, well, the man in question you are wondering about, well, in relation to Marli-Jane, he is the father." Hermione let out an extremely loud sigh.

"That's, uh, great!" Hermione chuckled and looked at the wall to see a picture, moving of course, of Madame Pomfrey, a man about her age, and a man quite a bit younger holding a girl about five. "Is that your family?"

"Why, yes. It is. The older man is my husband, and the boy there is my son, Dimetrius, and his daughter, Lollita. We call her Lollie. Her mother died in childbirth. We really loved her..."

"I'm so sorry. So, you said there was some bad news."

"Yes, there is. In fact it's horrible." Hermione slightly paled and the smile faded from her usually cheery face.

"And...?"

"Well, the horrible, awful news is that there is no bad news! It's just a facade I put up to give a little humor to my patients."

"Oh, hah. Yeah, that's quite a mood lifter. So, I guess I should go back out and talk to Marli. And apparently, her father."

"Yes. Hermione? If you don't mind me asking, I mean, girl to girl, who is the father?"

"Oh, well, it's quite a complicated story."

"I have time."

"Okay, well, after graduation, my seventh year, do you remember the graduation-masquerade ball Dumbledore put on?" Madame Pomfrey nodded and Hermione continued. "Well, I danced with a guy all night and never knew who he was. The next morning, I woke up and went to my room without knowing who he was. So while I was here, I discovered that my daughter's father is in fact, Draco Malfoy." Hermione started to giggle. "Wow, this feels like when I was still in school and talking to Ginny about all this stuff!" Hermione giggled again and Madame Pomfrey joined in. "So, yeah, I should probably go talk to them. Thanks."

"Anytime. Though, from now on, I'd suggest staying away from those masquerade balls!" Hermione smiled and left the room to see an empty chair where she left her daughter.

* * *

**A/N:** I'm sorry I didn't add this to the previous chapter, but a long-awaited apology is needed! I'm sorry I haven't updated in a while! I just haven't been in a writing mood recently. I've been extremely busy with school, family deaths, and new additions, concerts and school work in general! I just never really could write. If I had time, I would sit at the computer screen for hours on end trying to figure out what to write. Then just a few days ago, an inspiration hit me and I sat down and typed up the rest of the last chapter and this one. Then I was going through and rereading the story just before I finished this chapter, I noticed that I had so many errors. One major one is where in the first chapter, first paragraph, I was thinking about changing Hermione's name to Harmony, and I never changed it back and that's what's written there. And there are some spacing problems throughout since my parent's keyboard has a stuck spacebar. But mine is fine. Again, I'm so sorry for the long wait, but I hope you liked this chapter. I'm not promising when the next chapter will be out. I have quarter tests this week and then I'm going to France for a week with my school and I can't write any during that time. 

So, please review! It makes my day! And it makes me write a little more before I leave on vacation!


	7. Yelling and a Little Truths

One Fine Day

Chapter 7: Yelling and a Little Truths

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter (and the winner of the most generic disclaimer goes to...ME!)

Previously:

_"So while I was here, I discovered that my daughter's father is in fact, Draco Malfoy." Hermione started to giggle. "Wow, this feels like when I was still in school and talking to Ginny about all this stuff!" Hermione giggled again and Madame Pomfrey joined in. "So, yeah, I should probably go talk to them. Thanks."_

_"Anytime. Though, from now on, I'd suggest staying away from those masquerade balls!" Hermione smiled and left the room to see an empty chair where she left her daughter._

"HARRY POTTER!" Hermione bellowed as she slammed the Great Hall doors open to reveal a staring group of people.

"I think I saw him and Marli go towards the Quidditch pitch just a few minutes ago." Hermione looked to see that it was Ron talking. She turned on her heel and stormed out of the Great Hall, followed by Ron and Draco, who was suspicious as to why she was so mad.

"Hermione! What's goin on?" Was what she could hear behind her, but she refused to answer. She made her way up the stairs in the bleachers and plopped herself down as she watched the two figures flying around the pitch.

_Am I overreacting?_

_Definitely!_

_Who's there?_

_I'm your conscience sweetie._

_I didn't know I had a conscience!_

_Well you do. And yeah you're overreacting. You knew dear Harry was going outside to where your daughter was, so you shouldn't have worried. Harry's a dear fellow. Such a sweetheart. He wouldn't hurt a fly, well, except for the fly that has red eyes and is named Voldemort. But he's past that._

_Wow, my conscience sounds eerily like Mrs. Weasley._

_Wow, you are smart! Your conscience, me, is composed of all the lessons you've learned through Mrs. Weasley all those summers ago. Now, about this overreacting bit. Yes, Harry took your daughter out of the Hospital Wing without your knowledge, but hey, what 10 year old girl wants to stay cooped up in a Hospital while there are millions of things to do in a castle this size? _

_I see your point. But he could've TOLD me he was taking her out._

_Honey, you were in the office. He probably didn't want to bother you._

_But why does this have to happen to _me?

"Excuse me? Why does what have to happen to you?" Hermione jumped slightly and realized that she'd said the last part aloud without even realizing it. Hermione turned around and saw Draco making his way down the bleachers and sat next to her.

"Oh, it's nothing, well..." _Get on with it Granger! You have to tell him sooner or later. And sooner is better than later. At least now you can let him have time to get use to the idea._

"Okay, Draco. I'm going to tell you the whole truth. Nothing but the truth. And I want you to have an open mind, and please, don't run." Draco frowned and then gave a slight, "sure".

"Okay, now I have a similar story to your Masquerade ball story. One major difference is that I'm a girl and I fell deeply in love with a guy there. Of course I never knew who he was. I fell in love after multiple dances and as the night went on, we got a little more physical. We left the ball and hours later, I awoke with a splitting headache and a masked someone next to me. It was about four in the morning, so the spell hadn't worn off yet." Draco paled slightly and nodded for her to move on.

* * *

Harry spun around and did a few tricks for Marli on his broom while carefully watching Hermione talk to Draco. He didn't dare go close so she wouldn't get nervous and flake out. He'd already figured out that she wouldn't be talking to him like that if he wasn't the father. She Harry watched Marli try and do a flip but then almost fall. She regained her composure and then started flying around the pitch again leaving Harry to watch Hermione and Draco again. After about a few minutes, he saw Draco fall to the floor and Hermione jumped and leaned over him.

* * *

"Now, I didn't know it at the time, but I became pregnant that night. With Marli-Jane. I left for America because I was ashamed. Now I don't know what I was ashamed of but I felt as if I should be at the time." Hermione shifted in her seat and continued with her story. 

"After Marli was born, the first thing I noticed was her eyes. She had the most beautiful eyes and I couldn't resist staring in to them. They were like her fathers. That's all I could remember to help me figure out who her father was. I wanted so badly to find him, but then again, I didn't." Draco nodded and she continued.

"So, I hadn't seen his eyes in ten years but now I've found them. I've found her father. Before this week, I'd only seen him once, but it was too late to do anything. I saw them and he disappeared. So, when I came here, I was determined to find him. And now that I've found him, I guess I should tell him, don't ya think?"

"Yup. Definitely. I think it is in everyone's best interest to let him know. Marli deserves a father, the father deserves the right to know he _is _a father, and you deserve to have a family. A complete family. Now, I say you march right on up to the father and tell him, 'Hey, you're my daughter's father.' Just go out and tell him."

"I guess that's what I should do right?"

"Yes."

"Okay then, um, Draco, uh, you're my daughter's father." Hermione screamed a little as she saw his eyes roll in the back of his head and he fell backwards on the lower bleachers.

* * *

A/N: I finished this on Sunday March 12th, and I'm sorry it's so short. But as of this moment, I'm not posting it till a little later. I want to write a few more chapters before I go to France. Then when I get back I'll have some to give ya'll. So, please review. I loved all the reviews from the chapter 2 before this. 

Sorry it was so short. I'm just now posting it 19 days after I wrote it! I really didn't plan on that. But our teachers gave us a lot of work the last week of school before break. And I'm just now getting to log in. The past week, I haven't really read many of my story alerts that were in my inbox. So I read all 30 of those then had to check the other 38 e-mails I got while I was away, and so now I'm updating!

Again, sorry it's short. Please review if you have anything to say or you liked it or just want to say something random! I love the taradiddle (word of the day today meaning: pretentious nonsense)!


	8. The Hospital Wing

One Fine Day

Chapter 8: The Hospital Wing

Disclaimer: Naw, I don't own Harry Potter. I own Harriette Pottie! lol. WOw, i'm a little carazy today!

Previously:

_"Now, I say you march right on up to the father and tell him, 'Hey, you're my daughter's father.' Just go out and tell him."_

_"I guess that's what I should do right?"_

_"Yes."_

_"Okay then, um, Draco, uh, you're my daughter's father." Hermione screamed a little as she saw his eyes roll in the back of his head and he fell backwards on the lower bleachers._

Hermione leaned over Draco's body and tried to revive him when she saw Harry speeding over.

"Harry, I told him! He's her father and he fainted! Oh my gosh. I feel horrible. I should've told him somewhere softer where he couldn't hurt himself. I should've known this would happen. Oh my gosh!" Hermione sat down per Harry's instruction and he picked up Draco.

Harry told Hermione follow him to the Hospital Wing. Hermione stopped mid step and turned around causing Harry to stop and watch where she was going. She went up to the stands and came back down with Marli and two brooms.

"Well at least she still remembers her daughter in a time of crisis."

"Yeah, Harry. And if you don't remember, I have a thing called _hearing_. The doctors say it will go away in my later years, but I'm hoping to keep it for a while. Right now it's _amazing_!" Harry rolled his eyes and turned around and marched on up to the castle. Carrying Draco who was his same size was quite a difficult feat. When he entered the Hospital Wing, Madame Pomfrey turned and sighed.

"I _knew _this would happen! I knew that when she told him he would do something like this. Oh well, place him in this cot right here, Mr. Potter. Ms. Granger? I highly assume that you told him, am I correct?"

"Yes Madame Pomfrey. Is it all right if we stay here while you heal him? I want to be with him when he wakes up. He might not think it's real. I know Harry did that during the numerous times that he woke up here."

"Oh, fine dearie. It's perfectly fine. Here, there are some chairs over there, just take your pick. Now, here's this potion. I want you to give it to him in five minutes in little sips. I must go tend to these boneheads over here who insisted on messing with Professor Sprouts newest addition to her greenhouse. So, I'll be back to check on him in just a few." Madame Pomfrey turned on her right heel and walked over to the other three who were there earlier.

"Mom?" Hermione turned and saw Marli-Jane sitting there in a chair pulled up by Harry looking at her inquisitively.

"Yes Mars Bars?"

"Is he my daddy?" Hermione took a deep breath.

"Yes, sweetie. He is. This man lying here in the bed is your father."

"And when you told him, he fainted, right?"

"Right."

"Why? Was he scared? Shocked? Does he even want me?"

"I don't know. I just know he fainted, angel. Now stay right there while I give him this medicine." Hermione leaned over Draco and opened his mouth. She gave the clear liquid potion to him in little sips per Madame Pomfrey's instruction and after the potion was taken, Draco began to wake up.

"W-where am I?"

"You're in the Hospital Wing, Draco."

"But...oh..." Draco looked around and saw Marli-Jane looking at him with hope in her eyes. _Her eyes. She has my eyes. Hermione was telling me...It wasn't a dream, was it? Marli-Jane is really my daughter and Hermione, the girl I supposedly love. Wow. What a change of events..._

"So, Draco, anything you'd like to know?" Hermione sat back in her chair and watched him as if hoping he would ask any question at all.

"Uh, sure. So, she's really my daughter, huh?" Hermione let out a little chuckle and nodded yes. "So, that means that you're the girl I danced with at the ball that night."

"It appears so. Anything else?"

"Yeah. I do have one thing. But it's a question for Harry." At the sound of his name, Harry looked away from the window and looked at Draco.

"Yeah?"

"Well, I was wondering, do you think I could talk to my daughter and the supposed-love-of-my-life alone?" Harry gave a big smile and left the room. Draco turned back to Hermione and Marli.

"S-so, you really don't care?" This was Hermione speaking out of wonder.

"Ha, no, Hermione. In fact, I'm absolutely in love with the idea. I always wanted a family, but I never wanted a family with anyone but the one I danced with at the ball. I knew she was my only one. And I wouldn't have it any other way."

Draco reached out his hand and placed his inside Hermione's delicate hand. He took his other hand and reached for Marli, who hesitantly took his as well. Marli walked to the other side of the bed and Hermione sat next to Draco while he rubbed her hand with his thumb comfortingly. Hermione smiled and leaned over and kissed Marli on the forehead. Draco smiled and leaned forward and did the same, but not stopping there. He took Hermione's hand and brought it up to his lips and kissed it tenderly. Then the two leaned forward and instead of being so forward and go for the lips, he gave her a light peck on the forehead as well. Hermione clearly appreciated his tenderness and kindness and the three of them just sat there in familial bliss.

* * *

"Okay, so you'll take her during the school year while I teach, and at Christmas I'll come to the house and spend it with you two, then for New Years, we'll all come to Hogwarts and spend it here. Then I'll go back for Spring Break and the two of you will come for Easter, am I correct?" Hermione looked at the tall handsome man she'd fallen back into love with over the whole summer. 

"That's correct, my love. Now, if you don't mind, I'd really like to get this goodbye over with so you don't miss the train!" Hermione smiled up at Draco and leaned in for a passionate kiss goodbye and then leaned over to her daughter and gave her a kiss goodbye too.

"Now, Marsie, be good for Dad. Don't do anything you wouldn't do when I'm around, okay? I'll see you at Christmas. And I'll write as much as possible. But I'm expecting a letter in return for each letter I write to you, okay?"

Marli smiled and reached up to hug her mother.

"All right Mom. I love you. And I'll write. I promise. Have fun at Hogwarts!"

"I love you too, Angel. Now, go wait for Uncle Charlie in the car while I say goodbye to your dad." Marli smiled and ran off.

"I really do love you, Hermione. I hope you know that."

"I really do love you too, Draco. And I know that you love me too. It's really been a fun summer. But as all summers go, in September, we must go back to our lives. I'll see you in three and a half months. Now, don't do anything stupid and let her stay up all night. I still want her to be _sane_ when I return." Hermione smiled and Draco returned the smile with a kiss.

"I'm really gonna miss you being around. Hey, I might have to pop into Hogwarts every once in awhile and say hey to my buddy, Harry, while taking a detour to say hello to my love." Hermione smiled and kissed him quickly on the lips just before she looked at her watch.

"Oh my! I must go. I really love you, Draco. But I'm about to miss my train. I'll see you later. Bye!"

"Bye! I love you!"

"I love you too!" Draco turned around and proceeded to go back to the car where Charlie and Marli were waiting for him.


End file.
